PDP tells Justice Abdulmalik to step aside from party’s leadership suit

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to Kabiru Turaki has asked Justice Joyce Abdulmalik to withdraw from a pending case challenging the party’s leadership.

The request is contained in a motion filed by a legal team led by Chris Uche (SAN). It follows a suit earlier initiated by a rival bloc within the party aligned with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and headed by acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman.

In the application, the Turaki group is seeking two key orders:first, “an order for Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself from further presiding over or taking any further steps in the suit upon circumstances giving rise to reasonable apprehension that they will not receive a fair and impartial hearing before the court”; and second, for the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the matter to a different judge.

Uche argued that the right to fair hearing under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees impartiality, adding that his clients have “a reasonable and well-founded apprehension of the likelihood of bias” in the handling of the matter so far.

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He said the 5th to 25th defendants/applicants had previously written to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, urging that no PDP-related internal dispute be assigned to Justice Abdulmalik or two other judges in the Abuja division due to “past antecedents and perceived partisanship in similar matters.”

According to him, despite the objection, the case was still routed to the judge. He noted that letters requesting a transfer were also sent, yet “His Lordship proceeded to preside over this suit,” which he argued deepened concerns about a fair hearing.

Uche further pointed to the timeline, stating that the suit filed on November 21, 2025, entered Justice Abdulmalik’s court and, by November 25, resulted in an ex parte order “in a format and template that was curious and in alliance with the format and template utilised by Hon. Justice Omotosho of the same court against the defendants.”

He contended that while the judge appeared on paper to decline some prayers, “the judge granted even more far-reaching orders,” which he claimed bore patterns “that exceed coincidence.” He added that the ex parte orders touched the core issues of the dispute despite the absence of urgency.

Uche said judicial proceedings “must not only be fair but must manifestly appear to be fair,” insisting that a reasonable observer could fear injustice if the case remains with the judge. He maintained that reassigning the matter would preserve the integrity of the process.

The rival faction is also asking for injunctions barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any PDP office address outside the one already in its records and stopping the Turaki-led bloc from presenting itself as the party’s representatives.

Additionally, the plaintiffs want the court to affirm that INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Police Command and the DSS must enforce previous rulings involving PDP disputes delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu. The suit was filed by Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), with several PDP officials listed as defendants.

At Friday’s proceedings, Ikpeazu represented the plaintiffs; Uche appeared for the 5th to 25th defendants; and Mimi Ayua announced for the police. The parties told the court they had not received all processes, prompting Justice Abdulmalik to adjourn until January 14, 2026, for hearing of the applications and substantive matter.

Later in the day, a second suit filed by the Turaki-led PDP came up, with Terkaa Aondo (SAN) appearing for the plaintiffs and Ayua again for the police. Ken Njemanze (SAN), representing those seeking to be joined—including Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu and BOT Chairman Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa—said he had yet to be served.

Justice Abdulmalik directed that all processes be filed before the next date and fixed January 16 for the hearing of pending applications.

In the second suit, the plaintiffs—PDP, its National Chairman Kabiru Turaki, and National Secretary Taofeek Arapaja—are asking the court to order police officers to vacate the party’s Wadata Plaza headquarters in Abuja, among other reliefs.